In the early church most people were un-educated and could not read. So the church used everything it could to teach the people about the Scriptures, the Trinity, the Father, Jesus and his teachings, the Holy Spirit, the Apostles and his mother. So every piece of sculpture, every painting, all the articles used in worship, stained glass and statues, candles and incense, water and salt etc. etc essentially anything that can be perceived with one or more of the five senses were used as teaching tools. In this way all the people were taught about their faith. So then paintings, statues and sculptures become for us a type of family photos, nothing more.
